Need to tidy up in death overs: Australia skipper Healy after win over India in 1st T20I
Australia did not do well in death bowling, letting Devika Vaidya and Deepti Sharma score 40 runs in less than 20 balls
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 10 (ANI): Following her side’s nine-wicket win over India in the first T20I, Australian skipper Alyssa Healy said that her team needs to do better while bowling in death overs as they could not finish well with the ball.
Australia registered a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over India after opener Beth Mooney decimated the Indian bowlers in the first T20I of the five-match series at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy on Friday.
“It was not easy when we were out in the field, but great to get the result. I thought they were a bit below par. We knew if we batted well, we could get over the line. We did not finish well with the ball, but we knew we were in the game. We just need to tidy up in the death overs and in the field. We have a few new personnel there. We just need to tighten things up going forward,” said Healy in a post-match presentation.
Put to bat first by Australia, India scored 172/5 in their 20 overs. At one point, India was at 76/4 in 11.2 overs. Key batters like Smriti Mandhana (28), Harmanpreet Kaur (21) and Jemimah Rodrigues could not contribute much.
Devika Vaidya (25*), returning to the T20I side after eight years, formed a 56-run stand for the fifth wicket with young Richa Ghosh, who scored 36 off just 20 balls. Following this, the pair of Vaidya and Deepti Sharma (36* off just 15 balls) amassed 40 runs in less than 20 balls to take their side to a solid total.
Ellyse Perry took (2/10) in her two overs. Kim Garth, Annabel Sutherland and Ashleigh Gardner took one scalp each.
Chasing 173, openers Beth Mooney and skipper Alyssa Healy (37 off 23 balls) put up a 73-run stand for the first wicket, which was broken by Vaidya. Mooney unleashed carnage on Indian bowlers along with Tahlia McGrath (40* off 29 balls). They both added 100 runs together and won the Aussies the game with 11 balls to spare and nine wickets in hand.
Mooney scored 89* off just 57 balls with 16 fours, winning the ‘Man of the Match’ for her performance. Australia has a 1-0 lead in the series.
Brief Score: Australia 173/1 (Beth Mooney 89*, Tahlia McGrath 40*; Devika Vaidya 1-33) beat India 172/5 (Deepti Sharma 36*, Richa Ghosh 36; Ellyse Perry 2-10) (ANI)
